


like flying

by isloremipsumafterall



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-05-09 20:09:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5553674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isloremipsumafterall/pseuds/isloremipsumafterall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>in which Jessika meets Rey and it starts with her offering to take Rey flying and ends with so much more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	like flying

After the Starkiller was taken out and Jessika began checking over her X-Wing she started to realize just how much work would need to be done on it; somewhere in the fight one of her thrusters had cracked and coolant had begun leaking into the power convertors.

 

At that point it might have been easier to junk her X-Wing and get a new one commissioned, using the old one for parts but like most pilots Jessika stubbornly refused to accept that and dove into her work of fixing it after the celebration party.

 

She was so busy she didn’t notice the figure walking around the hanger bay, peeking curiously at the X-Wings and looking positively excited, if she had she might have been more careful with her hydrospanner and not dropped it over the edge of her ship.

 

When she didn’t hear a clang that alerted her it had hit the ground she looked over curiously, spotting the young woman – Rey, she told herself, remembering that Poe had brought her up while telling the squadron about Finn – who was holding out her hand and staring at a space between herself and Jessika’s X-Wing with concentration.

 

Jessika glanced over to the space Rey was looking at and gasped, the hydrospanner stalled in midair and looking like it wasn’t going anywhere except that when Rey heard her she lost her concentration and it fell to the ground with the expected clatter.

 

“That was amazing,” Jessika practically jumped down the ladder to the ground, picking up the hydospanner along the way, “The Force, right? I’ve never seen it in action before, just heard the stories.”

 

Rey nodded slowly, blinking curiously at Jessika’s own enthusiasm.

 

Jessika stuck her hand out for Rey to shake, offering her a wide smile, “I’m Jessika, or Blue Three when I’m up in this beauty.” Jessika reached back to pat her X-Wing with pride after Rey had released her hand.

 

“Rey,” Rey said, taking a step closer and smiling herself at Jessika’s ship, “It is a beauty but it looks like it needs some fixing.”

 

Jessika made a face, “Coolant leak to the power convertors.” She explained and before she knew it Rey was scurrying up the ladder and digging around.

 

“Pass me the spanner.” Rey said, sticking her hand out and Jessika numbly did, still a bit confused on what was happening.

 

It took ten minutes for Rey to finish whatever she was doing, with Jessika watching her and passing the tools requested, curious to see what she was up to.

 

“There,” Rey said, leaning back, “I’ve moved the power convertors below and blocked them with a transparisteel sheet while the engines should still run on maximum capacity, if the thrusters leak again you should be able to just clean it up without worry to damages to them.”

 

Jessika’s mouth fell open and she looked for the words to say.

 

Rey seemed to notice her shock as she got back down to the ground, suddenly fidgeting with worry.

 

“Did you use the Force for that?” Jessika asked, feeling foolish a second later like she was undermining Rey’s accomplishment, “I mean – that’s incredible. It would have taken me a week to manage that or even think about it.”

 

“I’m sure you would have,” Rey relaxed, grinning, “I noticed the hyperdrive in an unusual place to allow more processing speed, how did you think to do that.”

 

It was Jessika’s turn to feel proud, straightening a little in her jacket, “Just an idea I had from looking at a crashed TIE fighter, I altered all the X-Wing’s here to help with it.”

 

“It must fly like a dream,” Rey said, sounding wistful and looking up at her ship.

 

“I can take you up in it.” Jessika offered immediately, “Teach you to fly it.”

 

Rey’s eyes sparked in interest, a want in them that Jessika knew well, for the feel of cool metal under your hands and the stars above.

 

She looked like she was about to take Jessika up on her offer when her shoulders fell, “Another time, I have to prepare for my trip.”

 

“Oh,” Jessika felt oddly disappointed, having been looking forward to spending some more time with Rey and discuss both her ship and perhaps the Force with her, “To find Luke Skywalker right?”

 

When she had joined the Resistance she had heard all about Luke Skywalker she’d heard story after story from Threepio – unfortunately dealing with the over embellishments of details from him – and idolized him for the ease in which he had apparently blown up the first Death Star and had always hoped she could one day meet him and see him in action

 

Rey nodded, smiling softly, “I hope to.”

 

“I’m sure you will,” Jessika assured her, “And when you get back I’ll take you out – on my X-Wing.” She added quickly, realizing how that had sounded.

 

“I look forward to it.” Rey said, “It was nice to meet you Jessika.”

 

“You too Rey,” Jessika waved her goodbye as Rey started walking, “May the Force be with you. Come back safely.”

 

Rey stopped for a second, turning and looking back at her before she waved her hand and the hydrospanner rose from the X-Wing to drop neatly in the toolbox next to Jessika who chuckled her amusement.

 

~~

 

It was three months before she saw Rey again and had only know how the other woman was doing from pestering Poe who was keeping Finn company who was getting holovid messages from Rey.

 

Once Finn had heard that Jessika was doing it he stopped by and much to everyone’s amusement tried to question her about it until Poe had dragged him away with a ‘come on big deal, we care about Rey too’.

 

Personally Jessika wasn’t sure what drove her to want to know what Rey was up to beyond that she was curious and hoped Rey was doing well.

 

She didn’t even know of Rey’s return until she got back to base after her routine patrol, idly hanging back to check her fuel levels and had jumped in surprise when she saw a hydrospanner hanging in front of her face.

 

Jessika heard a laugh and looked over to see Rey just subtly moving her hand, barely looking like she was concentrating at all and smiling at Jessika.

 

“Rey!” Jessika stepped closer and then stopped, feeling that they probably weren’t at a position in which she could hug Rey upon her return yet, “Welcome back.”

 

Rey nodded her thanks, “Did you need any help with repairs?”

 

Jessika shook her head, “Just refueling now. No repairs needed this time but I’ll hold you to that offer after the next fire fight we get into. How was training?”

 

Rey paused, a look of wonder on her face that spoke volumes as she struggled with how to explain it, “Like flying.” She finally settled with and looked pleased when Jessika hummed in her understanding.

 

“Speaking of which, still up for flight?”

 

“Yes,” Rey said quickly, undeniably excited, “Is now a good time? I’d like to see the hyperdrive in action, I thought about applying your changes to the Falcon but need to find a way to bypass some of the convertors.”

 

She wanted to yes, it was at the tip of her tongue but her sense of duty stopped her, “I have to report back first, there’s a chance all the X-Wing’s will be grounded by the time I get back for the night. But first thing tomorrow.” Jessika paused, “You could come with me, I’m going to the messhall afterwards. Maybe you can tell me what Luke Skywalker’s like and how training is going.”

 

Rey’s eyes lit up when she smiled, something Jessika kept noticing and getting distracted over.

 

“I could eat.” Rey said and then with a flick of her hand the hydrospanner that Jessika realized was still in the air their whole conversation spun and dropped back into the box.

 

“I’m going to guess the answer for training is it’s going well.”

 

Rey laughed and followed her out the door, excitedly explaining the tests she had taken the past few weeks.

 

~~

 

“He’s my father.” Rey said idly once they got back on to the topic of Luke Skywalker and Jessika froze, staring at her with her eyes wide.

 

“That must have been a shock.” Jessika said finally, swallowing the piece of bread she’d been eating and watching Rey carefully.

 

There were several expressions that flickered across Rey’s face and Jessika recalled Finn mentioning something about Rey’s abandonment.

 

“He didn’t know I was alive.” Rey whispered, “That’s why he never came.”

 

Jessika reached over, resting her hand on Rey’s wrist and squeezing gently, trying to offer as much comfort as she could in a situation she wasn’t sure she could fully understand.

 

Rey glanced down at Jessika’s hand curiously and then back up to Jessika, meeting her eyes and slowly she began to smile.

 

“He was an amazing pilot.”

 

Jessika didn’t reply back that she knew that fact, had heard about it her whole life and desperately wished she could fly with such talent too, instead what she said was, “You are too.”

 

“You haven’t seen me fly.” Rey pointed out, still smiling.

 

Jessika shrugged, “I believe in your ways of the Force.” She winked at Rey, hoping that she’d just be amused by that and sure enough Rey started laughing.

 

It was only after Rey stopped that Jessika realized she ought to pull her hand away, the moment broken, but she hesitated and Rey sensed it too. She stared at Jessika, her mouth still slightly open and cheeks flushed from laughter and suddenly the space between them seemed both too small and wide all at once.

 

Jessika cleared her throat, pulling her hand away, “Plus I’ll see it in action tomorrow.”

 

“I thought I’d just be a passenger.” Rey said, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Where’s the fun in that?” Jessika replied with an easy grin and it broke whatever leftover tension there was between them.

 

Quietly she wondered if Rey felt it to the same extreme she had and then brushed that aside; they barely knew each other after all and this friendship felt like enough.

 

~~

 

Rey fit in the pilot seat like she belonged there and with Jessika’s encouragement she took to the skies with ease and a whooping delighted cry.

 

“It’s much easier to navigate than the Falcon,” Rey yelled back to her in the seat Jessika occupied, completely forgetting that their helmets had a radio to talk to each other in them and making Jessika laugh at her enthusiasm.

 

“Take us up and hit the hyperdrive if you want,” Jessika said, “I’ve already put the navigations in to a planet that won’t get us into any trouble.”

 

“I think I’m getting used to trouble though.” Rey replied, her excitement still evident.

 

“Another time.” Jessika shook her head though Rey couldn’t see it from where she sat, “The Squadron would be upset if I went charging into something without them, even if I did have a Jedi by my side.”

 

And it was nice to think that she was, Rey humming her agreement before she took them up past the planet’s atmosphere and into hyperdrive.

 

Jessika hoped this meant Rey would be sticking around the base more.

 

~~

 

Rey however had to leave for training again a week later, promising she’d message Jessika and come back sooner and hesitantly hugging her goodbye.

 

Jessika had walked around the base thinking of that warmth from the hug for almost an hour before she ran into Poe.

 

“Someone’s got a crush.” Poe grinned at her, walking alongside her and stopping when she did.

 

“Don’t you have a TIE Fighter to crash?” She retorted, her blood racing at the sudden knowledge that Poe was right.

 

“That’s hurtful. I’m hurt.” Poe’s mouth twisted into a pout and Jessika rolled her eyes at him. “You know I can always tell Finn to ask how she feels about you.” Poe said far too lightly. “Get the squadron to sing your praise the next time she’s around.”

 

It was lucky he was just joking because otherwise Jessika would have considered letting him get shot at the next run against the First Order.

 

“Go kiss a bantha.” She told him, shaking her head and jostling him lightly to show she was joking too.

 

“I will when you kiss Rey.”

 

She ignored how much she’d have liked to.

 

~~

 

“Watch this.” Rey said and then wiggled her hand, using a rag to scrub off all the grease on the back of the engine.

 

Jessika snorted, now used to Rey using her Force powers around her and though she was still always impressed it amused her that Rey continued to be excited every time.

 

“I don’t think that’s what Master Skywalker meant when he said to practice.” Jessika tapped the padd that was in her hand, scrolling through her report to make sure she had everything written down.

 

“Are you going to tell my father that I wasn’t?” Rey asked, blinking and smiling far too much for it to be innocent.

 

“No.” Jessika said quickly, while Rey had offered to introduce them and she did want to that she suddenly could meet the Jedi and pilot who had saved the Rebellion was frightening.

 

“He’s really not that frightening.” Rey said as though reading her mind and Jessika might have been suspicious that was Rey using the Force if she didn’t know that Rey would never resort to that with her.

 

“I think I prefer just spending time with you instead.” Jessika said truthfully, it was nice that Rey had been around so much; with Luke having returned with her after her last venture back to whatever planet he’d been hiding away.

 

She noticed Rey staring at her after about a minute, looking up from her padd to see hazel eyes that she now knew so well watching her with consideration.

 

“I enjoy spending time with you too,” Rey began, “I am curious if I’ll get to kiss you after any of our dates however.”

 

Jessika’s mouth dropped open in surprise and she spluttered.

 

Rey shuffled on her feet, “They are dates right? I asked Poe and he said they were.”

 

“I’m going to kill him,” Jessika muttered under her breath, plotting her revenge on her Squadron leader but then glancing over at Rey and deciding it could be done another time. “Did you want them to be dates?”

 

Rey tilted her head and nodded slowly but surely and Jessika took a deep breath, standing up so she was on eye level with Rey.

 

“Now’s good.” Jessika said more calmly then she felt and was only soothed by the fact that Rey seemed slightly uncertain too.

 

She wasn’t sure who leaned in first but then they were kissing, a soft press of lips against hers and she moved her hand to Rey’s shoulder to grasp it and inch in closer. She felt Rey smile against her lips, the small delighted one Rey did whenever she had discovered something new and was truly happy and it made her laugh into the kiss and throw all caution to the wind to kiss Rey harder.

 

When they broke apart they were still both grinning, foreheads pressed together and Rey was looking at her with something akin to fondness that Jessika was sure she was reciprocating.

 

“I think the protocol for dating is that you meet my father.” Rey said, her mouth curving into a smirk and Jessika groaned.

 

“Can we at least go flying first?”

 

Rey nodded excitedly and kissed Jessika again.

 

“That’s not flying.” Jessika laughed when Rey pulled away only to lean back in and almost kiss her again.

 

“Depends on how you look at it.” Rey kissed her once more and Jessika drew her in close, thinking that with the hum under her skin and heat that pooled in her stomach that Rey was right – it was almost like flying and just as quickly becoming her new favourite pastime.


End file.
